A 57-year-old man fought Saturday morning with Chicago police officers attempting to take him into custody after allegedly trespassing at a storage facility in South Loop.
About 11:05 a.m. officers received a call from the manager of Safeguard Storage, 1353 W. Wabash Ave., saying a man was trespassing and threatening him, the assistant state’s attorney said.
Once officers arrived they saw Nathan Arrington, of Hyde Park, who asked officers if he could change his clothes in a storage bin.
Officers agreed and took him to the bin, prosecutors said. After changing his clothes, officers sought to remove him from the property.
Arrington then asked officers if he could change his clothes a second time; they refused and again instructed him to leave the property, prosecutors said.
Arrington refused to leave and attempted to close the storage bin doors on officers, prosecutors said. During the struggle, police said they were able to get a single handcuff on Arrington before he began to flail his body “in a violent manner,” pushing officers around the bin and injuring them.
Police attempted to tase Arrington, to no effect, prosecutors said. It wasn’t until back-up officers arrived that they were able to place him under arrest.
An additional responding officer dislocated her shoulder while trying to place Arrington under arrest, prosecutors said.
Arrington’s defense attorney said he has no criminal history of violence and has diagnosed mental health disorders. Arrington was honorably discharged from the Army and has lived in Cook County for 30 years.
Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Arrington to be held on $5,000 bond.
He is due back in court May 14.
